First Global Assessment of Environmental Considerations for Submarine Cable Decommissioning
The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) welcomes the publication of the first scientific assessment of the environmental considerations associated with the decommissioning of submarine telecommunications and power cables. The study, led by a collaborative international team of academic ocean scientists and industry experts, fills an existing evidence gap and provides timely guidance for industry, regulators, and marine planners.
As demands for digital connectivity accelerate, more than 3.5 million kilometres of submarine cable have now been installed globally, with growing volumes of out-of-service infrastructure approaching or surpassing their 25-year design life. However, until now, no peer-reviewed scientific study has appraised the environmental impacts that may occur in instances when submarine cables are recovered after they have reached the end of their service.
The study published in the Journal of Environmental Management finds that environmental impacts from cable recovery are typically localised, short-lived, and significantly smaller in scale than impacts associated with cable installation. These primarily relate to shallower waters where cables are buried, with surface laid cables in deep water having even smaller impacts. It further concludes that biological colonisation of submarine cables by megafauna is the exception rather than the norm.
The research also highlights the circular-economy potential of cable recovery. Modern fibre-optic cables were found to remain structurally intact even after decades on the seafloor, with recoverable materials—including copper, steel, and plastic—achieving over 95% recyclability.
The lead author of the study, Dr Mike Clare of the National Oceanography Centre (UK), commented: ‘Our aim was to provide the first evidence-based assessment of the environmental implications of submarine cable decommissioning. We found that recovery operations typically create only a very localised and short-lived disturbance, while offering substantial benefits for recycling and the circular economy. In most cases, subsea cables remain in near-pristine condition—even after decades in the deep ocean—which means they can be safely and efficiently recovered and repurposed or recycled.’
Clare added: ‘Biological colonisation by larger organisms is far rarer than commonly assumed. Across thousands of kilometres of recovered cable in our study, colonisation was limited to one short section. This tells us that well-planned and well-executed cable recovery can minimise environmental impacts while supporting sustainable management of submarine infrastructure.’
ICPC Operations Manager Mr John Wrottesley, said: ‘This study marks a major step forward for evidence-based decision-making globally. As marine space becomes increasingly congested and contested, it is vital that we manage submarine infrastructure responsibly throughout its lifecycle. The findings give regulators and industry confidence that responsible cable recovery is both feasible and environmentally proportionate, and that it plays a key role in enabling the installation of next-generation systems without encroaching on sensitive seabed areas. The ICPC looks forward to working with governments, academia, and industry partners to build on this evidence base and to promote best practice worldwide.’
The study also calls for more systematic environmental monitoring during future recovery operations and standardised reporting, to generate datasets that can be used to inform decision making by the submarine cable industry and policymakers, and to more widely enhance scientific understanding of shallow and deep-sea ecosystems.
About the ICPC: The International Cable Protection Committee is a non-commercial, non-profit international community of interest comprising of 240 member organisations from 70 countries who are active in the critical activities of building, operating, and maintaining submarine telecommunications and power cable infrastructure. ICPC Member organisations represent over 98% of the world’s submarine telecommunications cable infrastructure, and an increasing number of international submarine power cables. To learn more about the ICPC, visit: www.iscpc.org or send an e-mail to [email protected]. If interested in joining the ICPC, visit: https://www.iscpc.org/join-the-icpc/.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251211833125/en/
Contact
ICPC Contact:
Ryan Wopschall
ICPC General Manager
[email protected]
Abstract
ICPC welcomes first scientific assessment of environmental considerations associated with the decommissioning of submarine cables.
TweetText
In most cases, subsea cables remain in near-pristine condition—even after decades in the deep ocean—which means they can be safely and efficiently recovered and repurposed or recycled.
